Wire-bending machine



G. D. HENRY.

WIRE BENDIVNG MACHIINE. 'APPLICATION Flu-:n MAY10.1915.

PatentedgAug. 15,1916.

` ArHA/Ey GEORGE D. HENRY, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. ASSIGNOR T0 SWIFT FLY SWATTER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 0F MISSOURI.

WIRE-BENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ang.. 15, 1916.

reference marked thereon, which form a.

part of this specification.

My invention relates to a wire-bending device, and more particularly to a device for use in forming wire handles; the principal object of the present invention being to provide means for bending a ring at one end of the handle and turning the free end of the ring about the handle body to maintainthe shape of the ring and form a strong, substantial and sightly structure. In accomplishing this object I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is a perspective view of a wirebending machine containing` my improvements. Fig. II is a central vertical section of the same, partly in elevation. Fig. III is an enlarged detail perspective of a part of the device, particularly illustrating the.

handle trough and ring-forming parts. Fig. IV is a detail perspective, particularly illustrating the tying parts. Fig. V is a plan View of the ring end of a handle, as it appears when the handle is removed from the bending device.

Referring mo-re in detail to the drawings: 1 designates a platform upon which the device is mounted, 2 a table which is supported above the platform by posts 3, and 4 a cover plate, which is supported above the table by posts 5. Rising from the platform 1, adjacent the table, is a standard 6 having a bearing 7 at'its upper end at an elevation slightly above that of the table and which is provided with a top slot 8 that is preferably beveled in order to facilitate ed for registering with the bearing groove and has its base at the center of \the shaft so that the shaft may revolve about a handle body that is located in the groove and held at one end by a shaping element. The shaft body has extensions at opposite ends of the bearing, but is anchored to the bearing by collars 11 that are fixed on the shaft and bear against opposite ends of the bearing to provide for free rotatable movement of the shaft while preventing longitudinal movement thereof. Fixed to the outer end of shaft 10 is a crank handle 12 and fixed on the inner end thereof, closely adjacent the table 2, is a block 13 of substantially greater diameter than the shaft; the said block being semicircular and having an open groove 14 coextensive with the groove 15 in the shaft. Fixed on the inner end of the block 13, at one side of the groove, is a hook 16, the lip 17 of which overlies and is spaced from a flat face of the block in order that a wire, that `forms a projectionof the handle body, may be projectedbetween the block and lip and nested in the lip, for the purpose presently described. The table 2 has an aperture 19 near its edge adjacent the shaft block 13, and slidably mounted in said aperture and slidably guided over a post 20, that is fixed to and rises from the platform 1, is a hollow plunger 21 having a closed upper end 22; the hollow plunger being yieldingly held upwardly by a spring 23 'that is housed within the plunger and bears Aagainst the closed end 22 and against the top of the guiding post 20, to serve as a shaper about which one end of the handle is turned to the desired shape. Theupper projection of the plunger 21 is limited by a crank block 24, which is rotatably mounted in the cover plate 4 and held against vertical movement therein by upper and lower collars 25 and 26 that are fixed to the block and lie at opposite sides of the cover plate; the upper portion of the block being provided with a crank handle 27 and the lower portion with a crank member 28 having a depending pin 29 at its outer end that projects along the inner edge of an arcuate rib 30 on plate 2 and concentric with the plunger and the crank block 24.

31 designates a wire handle member having projecting ends 32 and 33; the end 33 being of substantially greater length than the end 32 in order that it may be shaped in the present machine to form the loop 34C (Fig. V).

As a convenient means for lowering the plunger 21, I provide the same with a lever 35 which is pivotally mounted on a standi ard 36 and has a yoke 37 at one end pivotally mounted on the plunger; the opposite end of the lever being projected beyond'tlie table Where it can be easily manipulated.

In using the device, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, the handle 31, which has previously been twisted, is seated in the shaft groove through the'bearing slot 8, so that the ends 31 and 33 project from the ends of the grooved head 13, with the long end of the wire lying on the rib 30 on the table 2. With the parts so arranged, the crank handle 27 is rotated to bring the crank pin 29 into engagement with the long end of the wire; the engagement of the arm with the wire and rotation of the arm causing the latter to has been formed and the end of the wire projected beneath the hook, the c'rank handle 12 is rotated to turn the shaft in its bearing and rotate the block 13. Rotation of the block 13 causes the hook 17 to engage the end of the wire loop and turn said end about the body of the handle so that the end of the wire is tied to the handle to maintain the loop; rotation of the shaft causing the same to turn about the handle body without alfeeting the handle, owing to the location of the handle at the center of the shaft. When the loop has been tied, as described, the plunger is lowered against the tension of its spring to release the loop, which has been formed thereabout, so that the handle may be removed from the plunger and the grooved shaft; the plunger returning auto matically to normal position as soon as pressure is removed from the shipper lever 35, so that it is in condition for a succeeding operation. By arranging the lbearing 7 at ak slight incline to the table 2, the wire is sprung as the loop is being formed, and the arm 33 pressed against the bearing plate 30, to insure its bending in the proper place.

YHaving thus described my invention, what Ivclaim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is: i

1. The 'combination with a wire holder, of a table, a plunger inthe table, andv a crank arm arranged for engaging a projecting end of a wire carried in said holder andturning the same about the plunger.V

2. rlhe combination with a wire holder, of a table, a plunger in the table, a crank arm arranged for engaging a projecting end .of a wire carried in said holder and turning the same about the plunger, and means for withdrawing the plunger to free the wire.

3. rlhe combination with a wire holder, of a plunger, a crank arm concentric with and extending along the plunger, and means for actuating the crank arm.

4. rlhe combination with a wire holder, of a plunger, a crank arm concentric with and extending along the plunger, means for actuating the crank aim, and means for moving the plunger away from the crank arm.

5. rlhe combination with a wire holder, of a table having a curved bearing rib thereon, a plunger in said table concentric with the rib, a rotatable crank arm having its end projected along the rib, and means for rotating the crank arm.

6. The combination with a wire holder, of spaced upper and lower table members, a. crank block rotatable in the upper table 'member, a depending arm on said block, a

plunger movable in the lower table member, yielding means for retaining the plunger against the crank block, and means for actuating the plunger.

7. The combination with a bearing having a longitudinal slot, of a shaft revolubly mounted in the bearing and having a longitudinal groove, a hooked lip on the shaft at one side of the groove, and means for forming a loop on a member held in the shaft and projecting said member beneath the hooked lip.

8. The combination with a wire holder, of a rotatable crank block, a depending arm on said block, a post located adjacent the block, a hollow plunger slidably mounted on the post and adapted for engaging the block, a spring within the plunger and bearing against the post and plunger to urge the plunger toward the block, means for moving the plunger against the tension of said spring, and a wire holder adapted for cooperation with the plunger and crank arm.

9. The combination with a shaft having an opening at its longitudinal center, of means for rotating the shaft about a body located in the opening, and means operable by the shaft for turning a member about the body.

10. The combination with a shaft having a seat along its longitudinal center, of a Shaper member at one end of the shaft, means for turning a member of a handle located in the shaft seat about the Shaper member, means for rotating the shaft, and means on the shaft for engaging said member and turning the same about the body when the shaft is rotated.

11, The combination with a bearing having a longitudinal slot, of a shaft rotatably mounted in the bearing and having a longitudinal groove with a seat at the diametrical center of the shaft, a block at one end of the shaft having a flat face and an open groove coextensive with the shaft groove, whereby a handle body may lie in the grooves concentrically with the shaft and block, a Shaper member adjacent the end of the eX- tension, means for turning a projecting end of a handle about the Shaper member over onto the block While the handle body is Seated in said grooves, means for rotating the shaft and block about the held handle body, and a hook on the block for holding the Shaper member to the end of the handle body and turning the same about the handle body when the shaft and its block are rotated.

12. The combination with a bearing having a longitudinal slot, of a shaft rotatable in the bearing and provided With a longif Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

